1.3 Computer-Controlled Cutting

Ideas

Design Grammar

Initial proposal


Figure 1. Initial grammar proposal: Sketched with now defunct Tinkercad cloud based CAD Tool.

The most interesting thing with this week assignment is to acknowledge that with a very simple components you can create a complex object. This is a simple grammar comprised of just two objects. From this point it will be interesting to see how related are the language and adjetives with the definition of an object, especially objects that are not fully design but the ones that emerges from the interaction of simple components.

Saying that I present a set of two grammars

Design Grammar A

Detail of the CAD workbench A 2 piece grammar detail


Figure 2. Two components grammar: Sketched with Rhinoceros.

How do all the representations of an object relates themselves? Is there an intrinsic nature of an object representation? If there is various levels of representation of an object: linguistic, graphical, performative, simulation, there must be an intrinsic one.

For example, on on a CAD program the represention of an object is a graphical one, on a text processor is a linguistic one, on a simulation program is a mathematical one. But given the digital nature of the information (as being architected at this moment) each of these levels are only abstractions, so in the end we should say that there in an intrinsic way to represent an object in a digital world and that representation doesnt depend on the tooling but in something more simple.

Design Grammar B

Detail

Considerations:

Material deformation

Machine parameters (in case of Epilog Laser Cutter)

Measurements and units (must be the same across all the processess)

A 2 piece grammar detail

Ingredients

Physical stuff (Atoms)

  • Caliper
  • Laser cutter
  • Material to cut Polypropylene, Paper, Parchment Paper, Transparent Paper, Cardboard Corrugated, Generic Cardboard, Stone Cardboard, Plywood, Felt, Raster Image on stone, Thin Fabric
  • Digital stuff (Bits)

  • digital design source code
  • Instructions

    Steps

  • Step 0: Have especial care with units conversions and settings.
  • Step 1: Design your grammar with the tool you want
  • Step 2: Export the file into a format that the program of the machine can understand (fab modules, rhinocam, etc.)
  • Step 3: Adjust carefully the machine settings depending on the selected material and the process: cutting or engraving
  • Step 4: Print
  • Step 5: Assemble
  • Step 6:
  • Results:

    .

    Inspirations from HTMAA

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